Am I a Candidate for a Root Canal?

This is a question that is fairly easy to answer. Do you have an infection that has invaded the pulp or nerve chamber of your tooth? If you do, then chances are that you are a candidate for a root canal.

What Causes the Need for a Root Canal?

If your tooth is inflamed or irritated due to deep decay, if you have sustained trauma to the tooth, or even if you have had repeated dental work that simply isn’t getting the job done any longer, then you might be a candidate for a root canal. You’ll know if this is the case, usually, because you will be in pain. This is due to infection. And when this happens, you have two choices – extraction, or root canal.

Why Not Extraction?

Sometimes, a person who is a candidate for root canal will be in so much agony that he or she will simply say “I can’t take this anymore; pull the tooth!” The trouble with this is that once a tooth is extracted, the adjacent teeth will try to shift in to fill the gap. It makes it harder for the patient to clean the teeth, and raises the risk of gum disease, which could cause further tooth loss down the road.

Will It Hurt?

No. Please put this misconception aside once and for all. Root canal treatment is not going to be any more painful than any other dental treatment, because your Merrick dentist will make sure that you are fully “numbed up” before beginning the procedure.

The next step (and again, please understand that this will be pain-free) is for your dentist to drill down in through the top part of the tooth, clean out the canal, and prepare it for a filling. Once the filling is in place, the tooth will be topped with a dental crown to prevent further damage.

Are There Risks?

If you are a good candidate for root canal, the risks will be slim to none. You might be a bit uncomfortable for a few days, but the discomfort can be easily treated with OTC pain medication. If your case is extreme, your dentist will give you something stronger.